Clip for steel partitions



Feb. 13, 1934. A, s, DRIVER CLIP FOR STEEL PARTITIONS Filed Au 4, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R O T m Q m M m Feb. 13, 1934. DRIVER CLIP FOR STEEL PARTITIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 4. 1931 INVENTOR W S" M BY ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES CLIP FOR STEEL PARTITIONS Arthur S. Driver, New York, N. Y., assignor to Partitions, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 4, 1931. Serial No. 554,997

9 Claims;

The present invention relates to metal partitions and particularly to that class of partition in which metal posts and framing contain panels of glass, metal or other composition.

An object of the invention is to provide, in connection with the metal partition framing, novel means for its assembly.

More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a metal post structure and means for maintaining its contour and also for securing to said post the horizontal members of the partition framing, such as the chair rails and transom rails, such that the post structure itself need have no projecting lugs thereon which interfere with and may be damaged by shipment of the posts and its handling to and at its place of installation.

In connection with the foregoing, a further object of the invention is to provide, in connection with said means, an arrangement for looking the horizontal elements of the partition, such as chair rails and transom rails, to the posts, such that throughout the length of the partition there is a series of continuing horizontal braces at the height of the horizontal members, this horizontal bracing lying at the same height both within and without the posts.

A still further object of the invention is to provide assembly means for securing to the posts the vertical sash members which, cooperating with the rails or horizontal members, hold the panels in place.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel form of clip which is preferably installed at a plurality of different heights within the posts, the clip being constructed and arranged to serve a plurality of cooperating purposes, including maintaining the contour of the post and thereby preventing it from twisting; providing securing devices for holding to the post a cover plate or pilaster; and providing extensions projecting through the post to which are secured in horizontal bracing alignment with the plate, the horizontal members of the partition frame such as the chair rail and transom rail, etc. I

To accomplish the foregoing purposes, the invention includes locking and securing means 00- operating with each post, but separable therefrom and preferably capable of assembly there-' with on the job during erection of the partition, preferred embodiments of said means being hereinafter more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary face view or elevation of a portion of a partition provided with and assembled in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale taken generally on line 22 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one form of securing and post-contour-maintaining plate;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary face elevation partly in section showing part of the post of Figure 2 and the assembly therewith of one of the vertical sash members;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view of the sash locking means of Figure 5 and Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of another form of sash locking means.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings, associated with a pair of spaced-apart posts designated generally at 13, are upper and lower horizontal members such as the chair rail 14 and transom rail 16, holding between them a panel such as the glass panel 1']. The panel is held in place along its lower and upper edges by said rails and along its vertical or side edges by sash members 18.

The post designated generally at 13 is open on one face throughout its length vertically for insertion therein of the plate 22 of Figure 3. The vertical opening in the post is closed by a pilaster or cover plate 23. To support the plate 22 within the post, the post is punched out as shown in Figure 4, the punched out portions 24 being bent toward each other as shown in Figure 4, providing supporting shoulders upon which the plate 22 may rest. In assembly, the plate 22 is inserted in the post in diagonal position with one of the projections 26 extending through the punched out opening 27 in the post and resting upon one of the shoulders 24. The high end of the plate 22 is then lowered to horizontal position so that the other projection 28 passes through the other punched out opening 29 in the post. When in horizontal position, the shoulders 30 abut against the inside post Walls, as does the edge 31 of the plate. The edges 32 are preferably the same distance apart as the edges of the post along the vertical opening therein, these edges extending toward each other as shown in Figure 2. When the plate 22 is in horizontal position as described, by means of these shoulders and edges, it maintains the post in fixed shape so that it cannot twist or become distorted under any of the strains to which it is subjected in use. The plate 22 is provided with a pair of openings partially aligned with slightly ofi-set cooperating openings in the supporting shoulders 24, so that when the plate is in the horizontal position of Figure 3, it may be secured to the shoulders by tapered pins 37. Since the post opening extends vertically throughout its length, it is a very simple matter to place the plates 22 in position, insert the pins 37 and strike each on the head, thereby driving each into wedging position with no other tool than a hammer. It will be understood that a similar plate and corresponding shoulders are provided at the level of the transom rail, as Well as at the rail 14, and in fact wherever there is a horizontally extending portion of the partition framing.

The plate 22 is preferably provided with an angularly extending portion 40 lying just outside of the vertical post opening and provided with pilaster-locking cam shoulders 42 in order that the pilaster or cover plate 23 may be assembled to the post without any tools at all by laying the pilaster against the post with one of its inner edges 43 behind its cooperating shoulder and simply pushing against the face of the pilaster to force its other edge over and behind the other shoulder 42, the inner edges 43 of the pilaster springing apart during this assembly, by which the pilaster is locked in position, as shown in Figure 2. It will be understood that with this construction, a mode of assembly may be followed which requires no bolts or look nuts and no tools as far as the pilaster assembly is concerned.

The chair rail 14 has its horizontal portion near the post provided with an opening to receive a wedge pin 46, which also passes through an opening 47 in the extension 26, these openings being so located with respect to each other that when the wedge pin 46 is driven in place the chair rail 14 is secured tightly in position with its ends against the post 13. After the chair rail 14 has thus been secured in position, the first section 19 of the vertical sash 18 is assembled as indicated in Figure 5, receiving within it the pin 46 and being itself supported upon a portion of the chair rail 14, as indicated in Figure 4.

The invention may include means for holding the first member of the vertical sash to the post 13, and this means may take a variety of forms.

For example, as indicated in Figures 5 and G, the first member 19 of the vertical sash may be provided with a cam locking portion 50 welded thereto or punched out thereof and passed through a cooperating opening provided in the post 13, being compressed during assembling and expanding slightly when assembled, and thus holding in position the first assembled vertical member 19 of the vertical sash 18.

If desired, as shown in Figure '7, the member 19 may be formed with a punched out lug which, when assembled, passes through a cooperating opening in the post 13, the lug 55 being provided with an opening to receive a drift pin or wedge 56, one of whose edges is adapted to contact with the inner wall of the post 13 and whose opposite edge is tapered to permit it to be driven tightly into position by means of a hammer.

When the sash members 19 have been fixed in position, the second members 20 of the vertical sash may be assembled. By means of its camming ends, each may be forced into position manually without tools, being locked in the position of Figure 2 by means of corresponding and cooperating cam portions formed on its cooperating sash member 19.

With the chair rail 14 in position and the sash members 19 and 20 in position as described and facing each other on adjacent posts, the panel 17 may be placed in position in the panel receiving groove of the chair rail 14 and against the shoulder 61 of sash members 19. The next horizontal member, in this case the transom rail 16, may now be placed in position, receiving the upper edge of the panel in a groove in its lower face similar to the groove 60 of the chair rail. The transom rail is preferably secured in position in the same manner and by the same means described in connection with the chair rail 14 and illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings.

With this construction, the sash member 20 is assembled with and locked to cooperating sash member 19, without the necessity of using tools; sash member 19 is assembled with and locked to its post Without the use of tools in case the structure of Figures 5 and 6 is used,

and with no tool other than a hammer when the structure of Figure 7 is used; the chair rail, transom rail and other horizontal members of the partition framing are assembled and locked to their cooperating posts by means of the wedge pins 46 and plate 22 with no tool other than the hammer, which is the only tool required for the assembly and locking in position of the plate 22. The pilaster or cover plate is simply snapped into position manually as above described.

With the foregoing construction, a partition may be assembled in a very short time and the parts when assembled are locked rigidly in position, but are removably looked, as will be apparent from the above description.

Moreover, a serious defect and inherent weal;- ness of metal partitions is remedied by the provision, as above described, of a series of continuous bracing means, each running the entire length of the partition at a plurality of different heights, and formed of the horizontal members, such as chair rails, transom rails, etc., outside of the posts and being continued through the posts at the height of each rail by means of the plates 22, which, in addition to their horizontal bracing function, also maintain fixed the original contour and shape of the posts, and also hold in locked but removable position the pilasters or cover plates of the posts.

By means of the invention, there is thus provided an extremely rigid partition construction of exceptional simplicity of manufacture and assembly, and at the same time being suiTiciently braced so that no part of it becomes distorted or changes its shape under the strains and forces to which the partition is subjected in use.

What is claimed is:

1. A metal partition assembly device comprising a post-contour maintaining portion for preventing twisting of a metal post and having a rail supporting projection and a pilaster cam lock extending therefrom.

2. A metal partition assembly device comprising a post-contour maintaining plate portion for assembly within a post substantially at right angles to opposed post surfaces to lock them against relative movement, said device having a rail supporting projection extending therefrom beyond the post-contour maintaining plate portion, said device also having extending therefrom a pilaster locking portion.

3. A metal partition assembly device comprising a post-contour maintaining plate portion for assembly within a post substantially at right angles to opposed post surfaces to lock them against relative movement, said device having a pair of oppositely extending rail supporting projections lying beyond the post-contour maintaining plate portion, said device also having extending therefrom a pilaster locking portion provided with a pair of pilaster engaging camming shoulders.

4. In combination in a metal partition, a metal post having therewithin a pair of supporting shoulders, an assembly device comprising a post-receiving plate having post-contour maintaining portions engageable with the interior walls of the post and preventing relative movement of the post walls, said device being supported on said shoulders and having a pair or" oppositely directed rail-supporting projections extending through and beyond said post, a rail supported on each of said projections, wedge elements for securing each rail to its cooperatprojections, wedge elements for securing said assembly device to said supporting shoulders, and a pilaster locking projection extending from said plate.

5. In combination, in a metal partition, a hollow post having openings in its vertical walls, an assernbiy device including a lock plate insertable into said post, said assembly device having a rail-supporting projection extending beyond the post walls through one of said openings and intermediate the post ends, said assembly device including post-contour maintaining portions, and means cooperating with said lock plate, movable rectilinearly into locking position, securing said assembly device in rigid relation to said post.

6. In combination, in a metal partition, a hollow post having openings in its vertical walls, an assembly device including a lock plate insertaole into said post through one of said openings, said assembly device having rail-supporting projections extending beyond the post walls through two of said, openings and intermediate the post ends, said assembly device including post-contour maintaining portions, and means cooperating with said lock plate, movable rectilinearly within said hollow post into locking position, securing said assembly device in rigid relation to said post.

'7. In combination, in a metal partition, a hollow post having openings in its vertical walls, an assembly device including a lock plate insertable into said post through one of said openings, assembly device supporting means within the post,

said assembly device having rail-supporting projections extending beyond the post walls through two of said openings and intermediate the post ends, said lock plate including post-contour maintaining portions engaging the interior walls of the post, and wedge devices cooperating with said lock plate and said assembly device supporting means securing said assembly device in rigid relation to said post and being movable rectilinearly within said post into locking position.

8. In combination, in a metal partition, a hollow post having openings in its vertical walls, an assembly device including a lock plate insertable into said post through one of said openings, assembly device supporting means within the post, said assembly device having rail-supporting projections extending beyond the post walls through two of said openings and intermediate the post ends, said lock plate including post-contour maintaining portions engaging the interior walls of the post, wedge devices cooperating with said lock plate and said assembly device supporting means securing said assembly device in rigid relation to said post and being movable rectilinearly within said post into locking position, a rail, supported by each of said rail-supporting projections, said rails and said projections both being provided with drawingopenings, and wedge means passing through said openings securing said rails in rigid relation to said post and assembly device.

9. In combination, in a metal partition, a hollow post having openings in its vertical walls, an assembly device including a lock plate insertable into said post through one of said openings, assembly device supporting means within the post, said assembly device having rail-supporting projections extending beyond the post walls through two of said openings and intermediate the post ends, said lock plate including post-contour maintaining portions engaging the interior walls of the post, wedge devices cooperating with said lock plate and said assembly device supporting means securing said assembly device in rigid relation to said post and being from and a pilaster secured to said post by said cam lock and covering one of the openings in the vertical walls of said hollow post.

ARTHUR, S. DRIVER. 

